Monthly Archives: October 2017

It’s hard getting kids to read. We chatted with Ross, whose work has been listed in the Sunday Times ‘Top 100 Modern Children’s Classics’, shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book of the Year Award and the Branford Boase Award, and featured…

Ross Montgomery has already attracted much attention for Alex, the Dog and the Unopenable Door, shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award and the Branford Boase Award, and The Tornado Chasers. His third book, Perijee and Me, is the story of Caitlin, a lonely girl who…

Top tips from Ross Montgomery for children who are authors in the making… What’s your top tip for budding young authors? There's only one writing tip that's always true, and that is: write, write, and write some more! Write about…

Are there too many happy endings in children’s literature, asks Ross Montgomery. If we insist on reassuring closure, are we denying children the opportunity to explore more complex issues? I watched the film Stand By Me recently. There’s a scene…

It’s become the norm, over many generations, to assume that what boys want from a book is adventure and daring, superhuman heroes. But how much do these stories reflect the realities of being a 10-year-old boy? Back in August, children’s…

From The Hunger Games to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, children’s books can demonstrate a somewhat lax approach to disaster and death. Ross Montgomery, author of The Tornado Chasers, shares his favourite books for danger lovers. Give a group of children…